North Carolina Bicycle Committee

Established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1977, the North Carolina Bicycle Committee was the nation's first legislated, state-level citizens' committee. The current, formally appointed Committee, composed of seven members from various areas of the State, replaced an ad hoc committee that had served the state from 1974 to 1977. Each committee member represents two of the state's 14 highway divisions. The Secretary of Transportation appoints members to represent a complete range of bicycle concerns and interests. The group meets periodically to discuss, resolve, and recommend to the Secretary actions on bicycle projects and issues. Each year since 1985, the Committee has been responsible for recommending to the Board of Transportation for their consideration and adoption a four-year schedule of funding for bicycle improvement projects. Since its inception, the Bicycle Committee has helped create the foundation from which the state's response to bicycling has grown. The Committee's efforts have focused on promotions that include education, awareness, share-the-road, and enforcement. In addition, the Committee played a key role in the 1978 development and 1991 revision of the NCDOT Bicycle Policy, the development of facility design guidelines, and the development of state government bicycle initiatives.


NC Bicycle Committee Endorses "Ride of Silence"
In conjunction with National Bicycle Safety Month, the N.C. Bicycle Committee has endorsed the Ride of Silence, a slow-paced bicycle ride to recognize those who have been injured or killed in bicycle-motor vehicle collisions and raise awareness of bicycle safety. The Rides of Silence takes place nationwide on one designated date during the month of May. For more information on the Ride of Silence, and a listing of ride locations nationwide, visit www.rideofsilence.org. Click links for more information on the Resolution (44K pdf), NCDOT, NC Bicycle Committee Endorsement Press Release, Bicycle Laws, and Safety.


Below are the bylaws that spell out the responsibilities and guide the activities of the Bicycle Committee.

Click here for a list of the current North Carolina Bicycle Committee members.

Click here for the North Carolina Bicycle Committee approved archived minutes, 2000 to the present.

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BYLAWS OF THE NORTH CAROLINA BICYCLE COMMITTEE

ARTICLE I
Name
The name of the committee shall be the North Carolina Bicycle Committee.

ARTICLE II
Duties

Section 1. The duty of the Committee, as set forth in the NC General Statutes S136-71.13, shall be:

1. to represent the interests of the bicyclists in advising the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Transportation on all matters directly or indirectly pertaining to bicycles and bikeways, their use, extent, location, and other objectives and purposes of the North Carolina Bicycle and Bikeway Act;
   
   
2. to adopt bylaws for guiding the Committee's operation;
   
   
3. to adopt guidelines for pursuing a safer environment for bicycling in North Carolina;
   
   
4. to assist the Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation in the exercise of its duties within the North Carolina Department of Transportation;
   
   
5. to promote the best interests of the bicycling public, within the context of the total transportation system, to governing officials and the citizenry at large;
   
   
6. to advise the Secretary on the coordination of bicycle activities among the divisions of the department, as well as between the Department of Transportation and the other departments; and
   
   
7. to report the findings of Committee studies, with the Committee's recommendations, to the Secretary for his annual report.
   

Section 2.This Committee shall advise the Department of Transportation on subjects including:

1. bicycle and bikeway needs for North Carolina
   
   
2. local program objectives, plans, and accomplishments;
   
   
3. rules, regulations, and criteria for bicycle program and bikeway development, management, and use;
   
4. recommending bikeways, bike routes, and facilities;
   
   
5. distribution of local grant funds;
   
   
6. issues of bicycle transportation importance to be researched;
   
   
7. such other activities as may be consistent with the Committee's role within the department.
   

ARTICLE III
Members

Section 1. The North Carolina Bicycle Committee shall consist of seven members.

Section 2. The members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Initially, three members shall be appointed for two years, and four members for four years; thereafter each appointment shall be for four years;

Section 3. Any member desiring to resign from the Committee shall submit his resignation in writing to the Chairman, who shall present it to the Secretary for action. Upon the resignation of a member in midterm, the replacement shall be appointed by the Secretary for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Section 4. Upon the third absence from a scheduled Committee meeting or event during a calendar year, a Committee member effectively resigns from the Committee. The Committee Chair shall notify the Secretary of the absences and resignation and request the appointment of a replacement.

Upon this notice to the Secretary, the total number of voting members on the Committee is reduced by one, allowing the Committee to continue business as normal during this period of transition.

The Committee member who misses three meetings or events during a calendar year has the right to appeal the resignation to the Secretary for fifteen (15) calendar days from the date of the third absence.

ARTICLE IV
Officers

Section 1. The officers of the Committee shall be a Chair and a Vice-Chair. The staff of the Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation shall perform the duties of Recording Secretary. The officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and by parliamentary authority adopted by the Committee.

Section 2. At the annual meeting, the officers shall be elected by ballot to serve for one year or until their successors are elected, and their term of office shall begin at the close of the annual meeting at which they were elected.

Section 3. Upon the resignation of an officer in midterm, the replacement shall be elected by ballot for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Section 4. No member shall hold more than one office at a time, and no member may be eligible to serve more than two consecutive full or partial terms in the same office.

ARTICLE V
Meetings

Section 1. The regular meetings of the Committee should be held on the second Wednesday of every odd-numbered month in various sections of the state with the specific location being at the discretion of the Committee. The Chair may cancel a meeting if there is insufficient business for the Committee to consider or the chair may reschedule a meeting if a quorum of the members is unavailable for a regular meeting time.

Section 2. The first meeting of the calendar year shall be known as the annual meeting.

Section 3. Special meetings may be called by the Chair upon the formal request of any four of the following persons:

1. the seven members of the Committee
   
   
2. the Director of the Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation; and
   
   
3. the Secretary
   

The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the call. Except in cases of emergency, at least one week's notice shall be given.

Section 4. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VI
Sub-Committees

Section 1. Special sub-committees shall be appointed by the Chair as the Committee shall from time to time deem necessary to carry on the work of the Committee. The Chair shall be ex-officio a member of all sub-committees. Sub-committee members need not be committee members.

Section 2. Each sub-committee shall be chaired by a Committee member.

Section 3. The Chair shall not chair a sub-committee. The staff of the Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation shall serve all sub-committees in the same capacity as the Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation serves the Committee.

ARTICLE VII
Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the Committee in all cases to which they are applicable in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order the Committee may adopt.

ARTICLE VIII
Amendment of Bylaws

These Bylaws can be amended at any regular meeting of the Committee by two-thirds vote, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous meeting.

11/19/08